If you’ve walked down Washington Street recently, chances are you’ve noticed the aroma of freshly baked bread and croissants coming from Farine, an artisanal French bread bakery that opened this spring.
“The bread is amazing,” said Alice Goldsmith, a regular at Farine. “And the croissants and brioche… it’s all delicious.”
Goldsmith added, “Grab a croissant and a coffee, and you could be in Paris.”
Kathryn and Laurent Dedieu are the team behind the little bakery at 146 Washington, and they have quite a story. Kathryn (née MacLaughlin) grew up in Everett and spent summers with her grandparents in Marblehead. Laurent is from a little town in southwestern France.
The two met at a Doctors Without Borders humanitarian outpost in Lokichogio, Kenya. They each spent about 20 years working for Doctors Without Borders (she as a water engineer, he as a logistician) before deciding it was time to try something new.
They both love food and considered opening a restaurant or cheese shop. They eventually settled on a bakery. They moved to Paris, where Laurent went back to school to become a master bread maker. They lived in New York City briefly but ultimately chose Marblehead for their newest adventure.
They have been overwhelmed by the positive response. It’s not unusual to see lines out their door.
“We didn’t know Marblehead was craving this bread,” Laurent said in a thick French accent, smiling.
“We’ve been surprised by all the enthusiasm,” Kathy added. “There’s been such community spirit. You really feel like people are on your side.”
Laurent does all the baking, while Kathy manages the business (and works full time training managers at Doctors Without Borders in Boston). They both work seven days a week.
Laurent’s day starts at 3 a.m. and finishes after 3 p.m., when he mops the floor and closes the bakery. Each week, he bakes about 300 loaves of bread (including ancient grains, fougasse, whole wheat and more), 300 baguettes and 1,000 croissants. Farine sells out most days.
Asked why the bakery has enjoyed such early success, Kathy answered, “We respect the core principles of French bread making and use good ingredients.”
Laurent added, “We respect the production process, the fermentation process, which gives an opportunity for full flavor.”
After traveling the world and experiencing adventures abroad, the Dedieus are happy to settle in Marblehead with their bakery — and community. They have no plans on expanding.
“We want to generate enough revenue to live our life, which is not a big life, and be part of Marblehead,” Kathy said.
To learn more about Farine, visit farinebakery.com.
